Latin for Lawyers

ALLUVIUM (ALLUVION)

ALLUVIUM (ALLUVION) [L. ad + lavere / to wash] The deposit of sand, clay or other sediment along or onto a bank or shore by water, as by a river, lake or ocean. See ACCRETION; AVULSION; DILUVION; DERELICTION ALTA PRODITIO [L. altus / great, high + proditio / betrayal, treason] The crime of high treason; treason against the state. ALTER EGO [L. alter / one of two, the other + ego / me, myself, I] The other self, a second self; the other me. Applying the alter ego doctrine, a court will impose personal liability on a corporate officer, even though he purported to act in a corporate capacity, if it can be shown that the transaction was really for his benefit and that the corporation did not really have an exist ence separate from his own; i.e., the court will pierce the corporate veil and hold the individual liable. AMANUENSIS [L. ad / with, towards + manus / hand] A person who copies a document in his own hand or who transcribes a docu ment from dictation by someone else. Also, someone who signs a document in the name of another who may be present at the time of signature. AMBIGUITAS LATENS [L. ambiguitas / ambiguity + latere / to be con cealed] A latent ambiguity; an ambiguity which does not appear on instant inspection but can arise later. AMBIGUITAS PATENS [L. ambiguitas + patere / to lie open] A patent ambiguity; an ambiguity which is readily evident; an obvious ambi guity. AMBIGUITY, AMBIGUOUS [L. ambigere / to doubt, hesitate, be uncertain] Capable of being understood in more than one sense; having several possible meanings. AMBULATORIA VOLUNTAS [L. ambulo, ambulare / to walk + voluntas / wish, inclination; last will and testament]

A man may alter or change his will at any time until he dies. AMBULATORY [L. ambulare / to walk about; to proceed]

Capable of change or modification. A will is ambulatory ; i.e., it is subject to change until the death of the testator. A decree or order which is subject to change or modification is an ambulatory decree.

20